From the Desk of Janet Barclay

When I was the Director of Membership for Professional Organizers in Canada (POC), I received inquiries every week from individuals wanting to know how they could get started in this field, and every once in a while, someone will still contact me with related questions.

The first thing I tell them is to visit the POC website and to consider signing up for the Should I Become an Organizer? teleclass.  This is a one-hour session where you can ask questions and get information from a veteran organizer. I also suggest they attend a Chapter meeting in their area, where they will have an opportunity to meet with members who have already established an organizing business, as well as others who are considering it, and get a good feel for what it is all about.

POC has recently launched an education program where you can earn education credits by attending teleclasses on specific organizing topics.  You can also earn education credits by attending the Annual Conference, which will be held in Vancouver this year. It may be cost-prohibitive for some individuals who aren’t yet earning an income from their organizing business, but I have met many people whose Conference attendance was their first experience with the industry, and they decided to join the association before they even got home.

If you’re not Canadian, you are still welcome to join POC and participate in its programs, but you might also want to look into NAPO, which is US-based and has been established since 1985. NAPO also offers education through teleclasses and an annual conference. They have recently developed a certification program, but you must have a minimum of 1500 paid hours of organizing work in the past three years to be eligible to write the exam, so it is definitely not for newbies.

Certification is also offered through the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD) for those with an interest in that specific topic. To participate in the training program, you must first join NSGCD, and before you can do that, you must be a member of POC or NAPO.

Training is also available through private businesses, such as Productivity Squared. I took their one-day course, Become a Professional Organizer, in 2002, and found that it gave me the confidence I needed to go ahead and launch my business. They now run a comprehensive three-day program in various locations in both Canada and the US. (If this interests you, contact me to find out how you can receive a $50 rebate on your registration fee!) I know most of the facilitators personally through my involvement with POC, and can vouch for their industry expertise and great personalities. They also offer webinars and self-study manuals.

If self-study is your cup of tea, you can’t go wrong with Maria Gracia’s Ultimate Guide for Professional Organizers. A comprehensive guide to starting, managing and growing your own profitable professional organizing business, it will help you get your business off the ground, promote it on a shoe-string budget, give you the best techniques for growing your sales, help you increase your business referrals, give you ideas on how to grow your business to enormous heights, and more.

Additional business start-up guides and downloadable training materials are available at OnlineOrganizing.com.

As this profession continues to grow, there are more and more training opportunities and materials available.